THE Liverpool International is playing the numbers game this week.

More than 2,000 litres of Pimms will be drunk during the five-day tennis festival which opened yesterday in blazing sunshine.

At least 10,000 punnets of strawberries and cream will be devoured.

Groundstaff will walk an estimated 850 miles mowing, preparing and looking after the Calderstones Park courts.

And most crucially there are barely a handful of tickets left for the weekend matches.

The appeal is clear.

Superbrat turned commentary box sage John McEnroe is in town from tomorrow to play exhibition doubles alongside the equally charismatic Martina Hingis.

The pair will make a compelling double act.

Hingis is the Swiss Miss with the beaming neon smile. McEnroe, even at 51, is still capable of scowling for America.

And the pair can clearly still play.

"You don't want to have John on the other side of the net," smiled Hingis yesterday "although I'd probably make him run for his money these days!

"He's a demanding partner, but I can play my part. We've played doubles tennis together before and I didn't disappoint; we were a good team.

"We won each time so we have an unbeaten record to defend."

McEnroe will be returning to Merseyside for the first time since his 80s hey-day when he featured in the short-lived West Kirby tournament.

Hingis is back in Liverpool just a year after her first visit - and showed off a little local knowledge alongside French ATP player Paul-Henri Matthieu at yesterday's lunchtime press conference.

"You'll have to go the Beatles museum. I did that last time I was here," she told Matthieu. "And The Cavern where they played.

"I loved it when I was here two years ago and I kept in touch with Anders Borg, the tournament organiser. He's persuaded me to play in a few more tournaments this time round - I was in Nottingham last week, I'm due to play in Manchester after this, so it's kind of a road trip going on.

"I like the structure of the Liverpool event and it's almost like giving a bit back by supporting tennis and bringing it to people by playing in this public park here.

"I had a great time last year."

The relaxed nature of the exhibition events explains why, at only 30 years old, Hingis is still resisting calls to make a competitive comeback.

"Schiavone won the French Open at 29 so I suppose it's a bit odd to be labelled a 'senior.' " she admitted (Hingis will compete in the Wimbledon Senior Doubles alongside Anna Kournikova).

"But I remember the match I had against her which was in 2001, so it's nine years back.”